Most people recommend here that you change the ticketing platform after being sent a fraud message. I was going to ask, for someone that used to use trainline. What other ones can I use if I'm to not use trainline for now. I also saw one should use a separate email address.
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Alternatives for ticketing platforms
- Thread starter summerb
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R
RailUK Forums
There's a good number of better options than Trainline - just search for "train tickets" or something similar. Look for companies that are not run by one of the rail companies. You could try the forum's option which will probably save you money too. Others include Railsmartr, TicketyBoo, RealTimeTrains (and many more).
And move away from any purchasing or behaviour that might bring you to the train company's attention again.
And move away from any purchasing or behaviour that might bring you to the train company's attention again.
Virgin Trains Ticketing is not run by a train company, but can be slightly buggy now and then, but comes with a rewards scheme that you can use to buy train tickets or other stuff with (Virgin Red Points)
I can also second the forum's site, though it charges a share of savings if it identifies split ticket savings and you use them, the level of attention to detail in its design is second to none. Download the Trainsplit app (it's powered by trainsplit) if you want a mobile app experience.
But as @Sonic1234 has said, if you truly value privacy, buy from the TVM or ticket office, paying cash if you really want privacy.
I can also second the forum's site, though it charges a share of savings if it identifies split ticket savings and you use them, the level of attention to detail in its design is second to none. Download the Trainsplit app (it's powered by trainsplit) if you want a mobile app experience.
But as @Sonic1234 has said, if you truly value privacy, buy from the TVM or ticket office, paying cash if you really want privacy.
I find the trainsplit app convenient and fast after some recent improvements: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.trainsplit.trainsplit
Also available for iOS I believe. That's just my preference of course.
Lots of places you can still pay cash if that's your preference. A ticket office should be able to sell you a ticket for tomorrow or from anywhere to anywhere else in Great Britain. Also look out for some ticket machines that accept cash as there are plenty still.
Also available for iOS I believe. That's just my preference of course.
Lots of places you can still pay cash if that's your preference. A ticket office should be able to sell you a ticket for tomorrow or from anywhere to anywhere else in Great Britain. Also look out for some ticket machines that accept cash as there are plenty still.
Alex-B
Member
Virgin Trains Ticketing uses Silverail. If you scroll to the bottom of https://silverrailtech.com/operators you'll see a sliding list of logos of people who use Silverail; it's quite a lot.
So sorry for coming back to this.
Thank you all for the suggestions
How about creating another trainline account with another email account? Since I now have a clean ticketing habit, should I have nothing to worry about?
Also, I've been buying from the ticket machines and paying via contactless, does that mean it's not that private?
Thank you all for the suggestions
How about creating another trainline account with another email account? Since I now have a clean ticketing habit, should I have nothing to worry about?
Also, I've been buying from the ticket machines and paying via contactless, does that mean it's not that private?
If you don't mind being charged a booking fee, then feel free to do so, but if you have committed, or been suspected of committing fraud using another Trainline account, I don't think you could expect Trainline to keep it quiet if an investigation is requested to determine if you have other accounts with them.
What is it about the tickets that you are purchasing that you wish to keep quiet? Are you short-faring? Honestly, the best thing to do is to use a ticketing site that suits your needs and purchase valid tickets.
A ticket machine won't sell the full range of fares, and could be very expensive for longer journeys. What sorts of journeys do you make?
greatkingrat
Established Member
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- 20 Jan 2011
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- 3,289
While it would be theoretically possible to link up payments made with the same card at ticket machines, I don't think we have seen any evidence of it actually happening. It would certainly be a lot more complicated than sending an email to Trainline and getting a spreadsheet back.
I'm just trying as much as possible to be off their radar. I'm just trying to be careful. I no longer shortfare, after I was sent an travel irregularities email from greater anglia, I've desisted from the act.
I've been buying tickets from TVM and ticket offices after being advised to halt buying from trainline after sometime. But seeing messages here saying to truly be private, paying cash is the best. But I've been paying with my phone, not that I have anything to worry about cus I'm clean now. Just trying to be careful.
The reason I'm asking about the app is incase of contingencies. Let's say my train kinda arrives early or I didn't make it to the station early so get from tvm, I might have to buy from the app.
So I'm just preparing in case, that's it
Paul Kelly
Verified Rep - BR Fares
If quick purchases are the aim then I'm going to recommend my own site, www.brfares.com - you can save your usual journeys as a Quickfare and then buy them with just three taps/clicks, once you've saved your details after your first purchase.
Agree, but it is worth @summerb being aware they mustn't use this as an excuse to short-fare again.
I'm glad you think so, but I might be ruining your muscle memory soon!
Indeed. It would be challenging to say the least to get the records from the card issuer and marry the transactions up with what was sold. The ticket machine does not know the name and address of the card account holder, only some limited card payment information, and the card isssuer doesn't know what was bought at all, only how much it was and who the merchant is.
Honestly though, just buy from trainsplit.com if in doubt...
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Well, if we never changed anything at all, we'd never get any improvements I suppose!I'm glad you think so, but I might be ruining your muscle memory soon!
Sorry for coming back to this. I've been buying from TVM and ticket offices since. However, I had to buy one recently from the trainsplit app because the tvm refused the load the off peak anytime day travel for me. Using trainplit app, my postcode, email, name was asked for to pay so I can use the reference to get my ticket.
Now I'm worried that might put me on their radar again as I ised my postcode and put my name and email address in which GA have sent me the usual " we believe you have not been paying full fares" mesaage and according to forum policy, ignore. I've been buying full fares ever since of course. I just feel since I had to put my postcode, GA or whoever might see it and now send a letter or something.
is my worry valid? Or I shouldn't be bothered?
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Sorry for coming back to this. I've been buying from TVM and ticket offices since. However, I had to buy one recently from the trainsplit app because the tvm refused the load the off peak anytime day travel for me. Using trainplit app, my postcode, email, name was asked for to pay so I can use the reference to get my ticket.
Now I'm worried that might put me on their radar again as I ised my postcode and put my name and email address in which GA have sent me the usual " we believe you have not been paying full fares" mesaage and according to forum policy, ignore. I've been buying full fares ever since of course. I just feel since I had to put my postcode, GA or whoever might see it and now send a letter or something.
is my worry valid? Or I shouldn't be bothered?
Now I'm worried that might put me on their radar again as I ised my postcode and put my name and email address in which GA have sent me the usual " we believe you have not been paying full fares" mesaage and according to forum policy, ignore. I've been buying full fares ever since of course. I just feel since I had to put my postcode, GA or whoever might see it and now send a letter or something.
is my worry valid? Or I shouldn't be bothered?
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Sorry for coming back to this. I've been buying from TVM and ticket offices since. However, I had to buy one recently from the trainsplit app because the tvm refused the load the off peak anytime day travel for me. Using trainplit app, my postcode, email, name was asked for to pay so I can use the reference to get my ticket.
Now I'm worried that might put me on their radar again as I ised my postcode and put my name and email address in which GA have sent me the usual " we believe you have not been paying full fares" mesaage and according to forum policy, ignore. I've been buying full fares ever since of course. I just feel since I had to put my postcode, GA or whoever might see it and now send a letter or something.
is my worry valid? Or I shouldn't be bothered?
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BazingaTribe
Member
As people have said if you're buying the right tickets at the right price, you don't need to worry. Although it's easy to say 'if you've got nothing to hide...', a lot of people are concerned about privacy. But generally speaking if there's nothing you have to hide, then it's unlikely that you will be spied upon directly.
Haywain
Veteran Member
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- 3 Feb 2013
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- 24,479
This is standard when buying anything and paying by card. You won't be able to avoid it, but if you are buying the right tickets it really won't matter.
This clearly isn't the case given the considerable amount of people who come here after receiving a "we think there are irregularities" fishing email. Spying appears to be the railway's new hobby.
I can tell you that TrainSplit has zero proactive data-sharing agreements with any train operators at the time of writing.
Of course, if someone is caught with an invalid ticket and an operator specifically requests data about them, then data disclosure would be examined on a case-by-case basis.
MarlowDonkey
Established Member
- Joined
- 4 Apr 2013
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- 1,824
Should we presume that Trainline is rather more proactive about releasing data where there's no direct evidence, but rather supposition such as railcard age anomalies or tickets between known short fare hotspots?
Oh , this was a case of short faring, Then GA sent the usual mail. I wasn't stopped in person. However, since I received the letter I have been paying full fares. But I was advised by many to stay off their radar, stop buying tickets for some time and switch to paper which Is what I've been doing.
And now I'm just bothered they might have my info now and now take up the case.
I don't know if this is right but when using trainljne, I don't think i provided my postcode..
So now I shouldn't bother about it right?
Haywain
Veteran Member
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In the unlikely event that they start contacting you anew our advice will be unchanged. Unless you are caught in person evading fares there is only the tiniest chance of prosecution. The only alternative available to a train company is to pursue you for underpaid fares through civil courts.
My understanding is that Trainline and TrainPal (and I'm sure other retailers too) both perform various amounts of their own data analysis to detect fraud, and will then share that with individual train operators under private agreements which they hold with them, yes.
I have worked on some data analysis in this area too, but instead of taking that data and throwing it at a TOC to try and extort (my opinion) a civil settlement, we have contacted customers directly explaining the potential risks of this behaviour and have found them to be quite effective and receptive of these.
As has been said before, many people seriously do not understand that evading railway fares is a criminal offence and not a civil one.
Nothing has changed and the advice above is good advice. Buy the tickets from a machine or a person at the station, or the trainsplit app or website, if you find it convenient to do so. As long as you are travelling with a valid ticket there is nothing to judge between them in this regard. Wherever the tickets came from this would be far less important than if you were travelling without a valid ticket.